Notes: Alou likes Bonds' chances in '07

07/20/2006
SAN FRANCISCO -- Yes, age is creeping up on Barry Bonds, who turns 42 on Monday, but manager Felipe Alou, who at 71 knows a thing or three about how creaky knees can ruin a career, believes the megaslugger will still be viable in 2007.
Whether it's for the Giants or another team remains to be seen.
"Oh yeah," said Alou. "He could be better next year. He could be healthier. If age allows for him to recognize the pitches early enough to stay back, he could be better."
San Francisco president and managing general partner Peter Magowan said on Thursday night that he wouldn't comment on whether the team wants to re-sign Bonds for another year.
"Whether that could happen, or should happen, will be discussed at the end of the baseball season," said Magowan.
Alou, meantime, sees Bonds' bad knees improving over the past month, and he says that's the key to being a good hitter, providing a stable, strong launch pad to rocket balls.
"He's a guy who is a perfectionist -- he's got a beautiful swing, and while people talk about hand-and-eye coordination, the legs are what propels the swing."
So could Bonds reach that seemingly unreachable stat of 755 lifetime homers, equaling and then surpassing Hank Aaron's Major League record?
"He needs 35 more homers, and he's going to hit a few more this year and get himself to a point to challenge the all-time record," said Alou.
Admittedly, he sees Bonds' overall baseball ability beginning to deteriorate, as he saw with former teammates Willie Mays and Aaron -- and himself. Yet asked if he feels Bonds' hitting only .250 means the distraction of a possible indictment and talk of steroid use is getting to the slugger, Alou said he didn't think so.
"I know he's hitting .250, but you expect that at 42," said Alou. "He's aging the age of a normal player. But Barry was MVP at 38. Barry upset? I hope they don't expect him to hit .300 or .350."
Alou has dealt with a variety of issues surrounding Bonds since becoming manager in 2003, and he has never felt the controversies have had a negative impact on Bonds' on-field performance or been a distraction for the Giants.
Alou's reaction upon hearing the news that a federal grand jury didn't indict Bonds on charges of perjury or tax evasion on Thursday after an 18-month session was as anticipated, as in no reaction at all.
"I saw the ticker on television," he said. "I always hope it's the end, especially during the baseball season. I wasn't worried, not really worried, and I don't believe the team is worried."
Rotation helps Finley: Center fielder Steve Finley is hitting only .257 overall, but his average has been steadily on the rise with the 41-year-old veteran batting .302 in July.
He was also hitting over .300 in mid-May, but he saw his mark plummet after posting a mere .238 average in June, mostly due to playing regularly with outfielder Moises Alou on the shelf with a severely sprained ankle.
Alou says he prefers to rotate the outfielders, giving all of them days off to keep them sharp.
"Even if you're old, when you're fresh you have all your energy and strength and can hit like a young guy," he said. "When Finley played every day, he tailed off and looked tired. Now he's back [hitting again] because he's fresh."
How to play: Giants players and coaches will host an instructional clinic for Junior Giants and Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. PT on Friday at the BSCSF Hunters Point clubhouse.
Participants will include pitchers Brad Hennessey and Jonathan Sanchez, catcher Eliezer Alfonzo, third-base coach Gene Glynn and hitting assistant Willie Upshaw.

Source: http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/